It looks like the Marvel video game gravy train has a long time before it comes to a complete stop, so I hope you took a restroom break before it left

by Jwan Jordan

August 16, 2007 - When will the gravy train stop? Only Batman's the Riddler truly knows, but wait, that is another comic company; sorry. Marvel has been unleashing an onslaught of games, movies, and memorabilia at a noticeable rate. With the high grossing movies, each game receives an inevitable video game tie-in, some which don't always fare too well. Sorry Ghost Rider. Yet, after all the Amazing Spider-Man, Incredible Hulks, and Fantastic Fours, there is a new Marvel hero to share in the adjective induced Marvel spotlight.

The Invincible Iron Man! With Marvel's billionaire hero, Iron Man is preparing to hit the silver screen, and it is only natural that a game quickly be thrown together to coincide with the film's release date. Yet, in its self defense it looks like it is coming along very well, even early in development.

For those unfamiliar with Iron Man mythos, allow me to explain. Suave, industrial billionaire Tony Starks uses his vast fortune and access to technology to build a suit of iron that makes him a walking, flying, plasma cannon shooting, armored tank. Though this isn't Iron Man's first game iteration, some may remember him from Marvel vs. Capcom, and an old class known as Iron Man and X-O Man of War in Heavy Metal, for the PlayStation console. Yet, with the 2008 film in the works, the new Iron Man game is looking great. Sega is at the helm with development of the game and is working very close with the film creators. Sega boast that everything you see in the movie you will see in the game as well.

For starters, this game is all about Iron Man and Iron Man only. So don't expect any amazing cameos or fantastic guest appearances. Sega doesn't want any other characters overshadowing the iron hero. As much as I love cameos, I think this is a good call on the behalf of Sega. The world in which Iron Man fights is huge, and Sega specifically made the game to tailor to Iron Man's abilities. One of Iron Man's many awesome abilities is his flight capabilities. You will be able to fly at normal speed or hyper speed, and each offers advantages. While in hyper speed you can get to the other side of the map within seconds, but you won't be able to maneuver well. A lack of maneuverability is a very bad thing as you're constantly being shot at by hordes of tanks, missiles, and bullets. Flying at normal speed however, makes you a defensive and offensive force to be reckoned with.

You're guided to your goals via a radar like map in the right corner, which also displays enemy locations. Of course, merely getting to your location is one of many worries; as you traverse the huge land, enemies will open fire with extreme prejudice. This is where the true fun begins because Iron Man isn't dubbed invincible for nothing.

Tony Stark's iron suit gives him the strength to take on armies and in the game he does just that. Several indiscriminately placed punches can take out an entire tank in the demo. Though it is nice to watch one man right jab a tank into submission, being on the ground and idle is not a good idea for your health insurance plan. Bullets and missiles constantly rain from everywhere on the battlefield, and as Iron Man you have an assortment of weaponry to return fire.

Repulsor rays can be shot from either his hands or a single, strong repulsor blast from his chest. In the demo, a shot from his chest repulsor cannon ignited through the level laying waste to anything it touched, while still speeding forward. The rate at which you can fire repuslors will be determined by a stamina-like bar on the left corner of the screen. Repulsor shots from your chest consume a lot more energy than from your hands, and if the story is anything like the original comics, it may affect Tony Stark's health. Tony is a smart man though; if you run out of missiles you can just wait for someone to fire one at you, which won't take long. If timed correctly you can grab missiles and redirect them back at your enemy. Watching Iron Man bear hug a missile and swing it around with great force is a great mechanic, and it is fun to watch. I sincerely hope they add even more features like the aforementioned. Iron Man is still very early in development though, and I really don't want it to succumb to the rushed game-movie curse that we all know exist. Keep reading for updates as CCC follows the progress of this promising game.